The Broken Observatory - Party Crashers AU

The shortcut.

  
I was leading the way for the next few minutes, looking at the phone, when suddenly, I got a call.

I answered as soon as possible and showed a hand gesture to Vern and Eevee to stop for a second as well.
 
 
"Professor?" - I asked quickly, determined.

"Yes. I think I figured the way Bowser's minions went." - the professor answered. - "King Bowser had detectors on his minions to monitor them where they are going. Little did he know it's possible for me to get information from it as well. All it took was just a bit of researching."

"Oh, that's amazing!" - Vernias said, happily.

I sighed.
"Let me guess, there's a downside to this as well, right?"

"Are you always so fucking negative and pessimistic or is it just for now?" - Eevee asked, annoyed, while looking at me.

"Sophist, don't be rude." - Vern insisted.

"Whatever. What's the downside, I don't believe the path is easy." - I said, 100% sure that I was correct.

"Well, there are two bad things about the path they went through." - the professor admitted.

"What can it possibly be, then?" - Sophist asked.

"Well, first, most important one, is that it's impossible for me to get the view of this path's surroundings." - the professor explained. - "Which means there's a possibility that some of the minions can be there, just waiting for an opportunity to hurt whoever's in the way."

I held my head, thinking about it.
"And the second thing?"

"The second thing is it might be slightly more dangerous and probably more energy-draining. I mean, it's a shortcut, so the path is probably uneven and it's easy to hurt yourself there by just walking." - the professor said as he sent me the route on the phone.

From what I've noticed on the phone, it was actually possible for us to get to this path from the place we were currently in.
I stayed silent, thinking and looking at the route.

"Uhm... That's not really a problem to me, I can fly after all." - Vernias said, then looked at us. - "But I don't want you two to get hurt, so-"

"I could care less. I'm going that way." - I interrupted answered before Vernias finished his sentence and started going towards this path as I hung up on the phone.

Vern looked surprised by my sudden decision and quickly flew towards me to prevent me from going further.

"Wait! Maybe let's discuss first?" - Vernias asked calmly.

"What is there to discuss?" - I asked. - "I'm going to help Brent, I don't give a shit about how dangerous the path is."

Vernias sighed.
"Okay... Nick, I understand you want to rescue your brother, but we can't do hasty decisions."

I breathed in and out.
"You can fly. You shouldn't have problem with the path."

"Okay, great, what about me then, you fucking genius?" - Sophist came towards me, exclaiming.

I sighed.
"Can we not fight right now, Eevee? I think you have spells to help, don't you?" - I assumed.

"Oh my fucking god, Nick." - Sophist answered, getting annoyed. - "Maybe I do, but I can't fly like Vernias to make sure I don't hurt myself."

"We don't even know what the path looks like in there, why would we immediately assume it's like rocky or something before at least taking a look?!" - I shouted.

"O-Okay okay, guys! Please don't fight, it's not a good idea right now!" - Vernias said loudly and nervously, trying to make us shut up.

I took a breather for a second.
"I'm going. You can do fucking whatever, I'm not letting Bowser do any shit, especially not to my brother." - I stated and went towards the path by myself.
 
 
 
After a few seconds, Vernias flew to me again, this time as accompany throughout the way.
"Can you two not fight as much anymore, please? At least not when it's clearly the worst thing to do at the moment..." - he said, upset, as we both were walking through the path.

I sighed.
"Okay, sorry, I guess." - I said. - "I'm not trying to fight, it just... Happens. I don't know."

"Yeah, I understand." - Vern said, as he turned around while flying. - "I wonder if Eevee is coming..."
 
 
  
Eevee's POV.

"It's his choice. He can do whatever he wants, I guess it's better if he's not going, though. I'd rather him be safe than risking his life because I said so." - I heard Nick saying to Vernias.
 
 
I actually teleported myself to them instead of staying in one place after Nick left and Vern followed as they probably thought.

What Nick said surprised me a bit. I wasn't sure what he was feeling about me. He yells because he wants me to go through this path with them, while on the other hand he doesn't want me to risk my life. It confused me.

After a few seconds of wondering, I noticed they were far, so I used my teleportation power to keep up with them, staying by the path and walking through the forest, not letting them see me being there, but the way I could follow them easily.